Jonathan’s parents migrated from Peru to Virginia in the 1980s where he was born and raised. In Virginia, he grew up with his life centered around sports. He participated in swimming, taekwondo, baseball as well as basketball and soccer. After attending basketball summer camp at Bishop Ireton High School, he could never put down a basketball. After high school, he was a bit torn between working full-time and going to college, and on May 28, 2012, his life changed dramatically. He dove into the shallow end of a pool shattering his C-5 vertebrae. Two years later, he moved across the country to attend Project Walk where he thrived in therapy and helping others by sharing his experiences and translating for Spanish speakers. Jonathan learned about the Swim With Mike family from his physical therapists at Project Walk whom all believed he was ready to take on new goals. He finished his Marketing degree at San Diego State and was accepted to the graduate program at the USC Iovine and Young Academy.

He continues to mentor others who have been injured and was frequently selected as a project leader in his master's program. He graduated with an MS in Integrated Design, Business and Technology from USC in December 2023.